Generally, there is an increasing need to automate systems to increase efficiency. For example, advances in automated biological sample processing instruments allow for quicker, more efficient, and high throughput analysis of samples. These types of systems may assay a greater number of samples than previous systems. As such, samples undergoing various assays are labeled or marked with identifiers.
Previously, an operator of the system or instrument may have had to manually track and validate samples by reading the identifiers on sample containers, racks, or assay chips. This type of manual tracking and validation can be labor-intensive and include a high probability of operator error such as sample mistracking, or improper testing. Furthermore, the greater number of samples desired to be assayed would be more time intensive and cumbersome. In other systems, a system may not be able to begin a run until it is confirmed that a consumable has been properly loaded into the system.
Other more automated systems may scan for identifiers to track and validate samples before testing. However, these systems often need additional components. Furthermore, the identifiers may be misread or unreadable by the systems.